On 3 December 2019, Google’s Sundar Pichai steps in as the CEO of parent firm Alphabet. The decision was made when Google’s co-founder Larry Page decided to step down as the CEO of Alphabet- the parent company of tech giant Google.

According to an announcement on Tuesday, Larry Page and co-founder Sergey Brin are stepping out from the chair of CEO and president respectively and will no longer be involved in the day-to-day operations of Alphabet. They further announced that Sundar Pichai will become the CEO of the corporate parent of Google in addition to the post as Google’s CEO since 2015.

“We are deeply committed to Google and Alphabet for the long term, and will remain actively involved as board members, shareholders, and co-founders,” Page and Brin wrote in the announcement. “We plan to continue talking with Sundar regularly, especially on topics we’re passionate about.”

Google’s Pichai had already become the public face of the company in recent years. Under Pichai, Google has been trying to become more buttoned-up, amid a series of leaks to the media and worker pushback. Alphabets ex founders Brin and Page, though, still holds a majority of the company’s voting stock. This means that major board decisions still need their approval.

Larry Page has been the CEO of Alphabet since Google was formed in 2015 and Pichai was named Google CEO. Google being founded by Brin and Page in a garage near Stanford University in 1998, has ballooned to a $900 billion company and is the world’s most used browser, Chrome, and the most used mobile app phone software, Android. 

Announcement Made Via a letter from Larry and Sergey

The announcement was made through a letter by Larry & Sergey that goes like this:

With Alphabet now well-established, and Google and the Other Bets operating effectively as independent companies, it’s the natural time to simplify our management structure. We’ve never been ones to hold on to management roles when we think there’s a better way to run the company. And Alphabet and Google no longer need two CEOs and a President. Going forward, Sundar will be the CEO of both Google and Alphabet. He will be the executive responsible and accountable for leading Google, and managing Alphabet’s investment in our portfolio of Other Bets. We are deeply committed to Google and Alphabet for the long term, and will remain actively involved as Board members, shareholders and co-founders. In addition, we plan to continue talking with Sundar regularly, especially on topics we’re passionate about! 

Sundar brings humility and a deep passion for technology to our users, partners and our employees every day. He’s worked closely with us for 15 years, through the formation of Alphabet, as CEO of Google, and a member of the Alphabet Board of Directors. He shares our confidence in the value of the Alphabet structure, and the ability it provides us to tackle big challenges through technology. There is no one that we have relied on more since the Alphabet was founded, and no better person to lead Google and Alphabet into the future.

We are deeply humbled to have seen a small research project develop into a source of knowledge and empowerment for billions—a bet we made as two Stanford students that led to a multitude of other technology bets. We could not have imagined, back in 1998 when we moved our servers from a dorm room to a garage, the journey that would follow.

Response by Sunder Pichai

With this added responsibility, Pichai wrote in a company-wide email on Tuesday- 

“I first met Larry and Sergey back in 2004 and have been benefiting from their guidance and insights ever since. The good news is I’ll continue to work with them — although in different roles for them and me. They’ll still be around to advise as board members and co-founders.

I want to be clear that this transition won’t affect the Alphabet structure or the work we do day to day. I will continue to be very focused on Google and the deep work we’re doing to push the boundaries of computing and build a more helpful Google for everyone. At the same time, I’m excited about the Alphabet and its long term focus on tackling big challenges through technology.

The founders have given all of us an incredible chance to have an impact on the world. Thanks to them, we have a timeless mission, enduring values, and a culture of collaboration and exploration that makes it exciting to come to work every day. It’s a strong foundation on which we will continue to build. Can’t wait to see where we go next and look forward to continuing the journey with all of you. “ – Sunder Pichai

The news was published on Company announcements on Google’s Blogpost.